Spinal Cord Injury healthcare information in one catch

Glossary F

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Scroll down this list to find the medical term and its explanation, or click on the link below to jump straight to that section. Click on the table above to choose another letter. Fa Fg Fh Fn Fo Fz Fa Fg Faecal contamination Traces of faeces (stools) coming into contact with areas of the body where they could potentially cause harm. For example, faecal contamination of an open wound, such as a pressure sore, could cause infection. Faecal impaction Condition where faeces become firmly wedged in the bowel and cannot naturally pass out through the anus because it is too hard and dry. Faeces The solid waste matter left after digestion of food. It is formed in the part of the large intestine (bowel) called the colon and contains indigestible food, some excess water, cells and bacteria. It is discharged from the body through the anus, when it may be referred to as stools. Fallopian tubes The tubes in a woman that lead from the ovaries to the womb. The female sex cells (eggs, ova) travel down these tubes towards the womb when they are released from the ovaries. False passages Unnatural passage/canal, that branches from a naturally occurring passage, such as the urethra (tube from the bladder to the outside). They are often caused by the unskilful introduction of instruments into the natural passage, such as the introduction of a catheter into the urethra. Fats Fats are the main energy store in the body and also act as insulating material under the skin and around some organs. Fat is one of the three main food forms needed by the body, with certain forms of fat being required in the diet because the body can't make them itself. Fat also helps certain vitamins to absorbed in the gut. Fertilisation techniques Artificial methods of fusing together the male and female sex cells (sperm and ova). The techniques may be used to produce a pregnancy when there is some difficulty in achieving fertilisation naturally. Fh Fn back to top Fibre Also known as roughage, fibre is the part of the diet that cannot be digested to produce energy. Instead, fibre helps the digestive system by adding bulk to the faeces and aiding the function of the bowel. Foods that are high in fibre include wholemeal cereals, root vegetables, nuts and fruit. Filter To remove impurities or solid particles from a liquid or gas, e.g., the removal of dust particles from air that is breathed in as it passes the hairs that line the nose. Fixation Firmly attaching one object to another with the aim of not letting it move, e.g., fixation of a bone during surgery. Flaccid Limp, floppy, lacking firmness. Often used to describe muscles that have lost their firmness (muscle tone) due to lack of activity. Flaccid bladder Also called an areflexic bladder. This refers to the condition where the muscles in the bladder wall are limp and not able to contract, so that the bladder is not able to empty itself automatically. Flaccid bowel Muscles in the walls of the bowel become floppy and limp, because they no longer receive signals to contract from the spinal cord. (Some ‘self-contained’ nervous activity of the bowel means that some contractions still occur, but they are much less efficient.) Because the muscles in the anus (that normally act like a valve to stop stools leaking out when it is inappropriate) will be affected and become limp, stools are likely to leak out. Flaccid paralysis Describes a condition in which people experience limp, floppy muscles that lack firmness, due to lack of activity in these muscles. Voluntary control over these muscles has been lost and they are unable to contract. Flask-shaped sores Type of wound/sore that has a small opening at the surface that leads to a much larger wound beneath. These wounds are often packed with dressings to ensure that the small surface wound doesn’t close over before the larger wound beneath has healed. Flex Used to describe an action that bends a limb or part of the body. For example, the action of bending the elbow so that the lower arm comes closer to the upper arm. Flexor A muscle that is involved in bending (flexing) a limb or part of the body. Fo Fz back to top Foam dressings Type of dressing that is suitable for many types of wounds. It contains a water-absorbent foam. Foetus Name given to a human baby from 8 weeks after it starts developing, until birth. Folic acid A B vitamin that functions closely with vitamin B12. Both these vitamins are required by cells in the body that are dividing rapidly. Good dietary sources of folic acid are liver, yeast extract and green leafy vegetables. Forebrain The large frontal area of the human brain. Fracture A complete, or incomplete breakage of a bone in the body. Frequency-volume chart Medical chart used to record how much fluid a patient takes in and how often, as well as how much fluid is lost in their urine, and how often. Friction Resistance between one object and another, e.g., a rough surface provides friction for any object moving along it. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) This is a technique, still in development, that uses electrical impulses to artificially trigger paralysed muscles to contract. Its effectiveness in helping the muscles involved in breathing, movement and urination in people with spinal cord injury, is being investigated. Fungu (plural: fungi) Type of living organism that is present in many areas of the body in healthy individuals. Fungi are usually kept under control by the immune system, but if this does not occur then they can cause fungal infections. back to top

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